Vedic and Classical Sanskrit

Introduction

            Sanskrit was applied for two languages as Vedic Sanskrit and classic Sanskrit. From Sanskrit descended pali and various prakrit languages in Middle Indo Aryan period. There are three periods of language. They are-

1.      Old Indo Aryan period - Ancient

2.      Middle Indo Aryan period - Mediaeval

3.      Modern period - Modern

1.      Old Indo Aryan represented in literature by the language of the Rigveda, the poetic diction of the epics and the more highly polished (samskrit) literary language of Panini, Patanjali and thereafter Kalidasa. The period of Old Indo Aryan language was 1500 BC - 600 BC.

2.      Middle Indo Aryan Period represented in literature by pali and prakrits. 1100 AD of the inscriptions the most famous are the edicts of Ashoka. The literature comprises the Pali canon of the southern of Hinayana Buddhists, the prakrit canon of the Jainas, the prakrit of Lyrics, epics and plays and the prakrit grammars. The period of Millde Indo Aryan language was 600 BC - 1000 AD.

3.      Modern period lies between the latest sort of prakrit, or Apabhramsa such as that describe by Hemacandra in the twelfth century and earliest poetry of the old vernaculars. The period of Modern language is 1000 AD - Present.

            It is not so, easy to mention the exact period of languages. Because language may take 1000 years to change their style. So, above chronology was just presumed by scholars that they may be including in those period.

            Aryan didn’t come to India at once. They came to India separately by grouped. First group lived in the middle area where was surrounded by Ganga river and Yamuna river in India. They lived there permanently and began to belief in environment and worship them. They are the Vedic Aryan.

            Later on other Aryan group also came to India and lived in nearby Middle area of India. Their language and beliefs are separated than first Aryans. Therefore they called Avedic Aryans. Vedic Aryans called as internal and Avedic Aryans called external.

            Population of Aryans grows up. So, they needed more area to live. But beside of north other all direction had resident by external Aryans. Therefore most of internal Aryans spread their population in the north direction way from Nepal to Kasmir. Some of them also went to other directions. Those who went to the south direction, residented boundary of the Gujarati area. Those who went to the west direction, residented boundary of Indu river. Those who went to the east direction, residented boundary of Baranasi. Likewise Vedic Aryans and Avedic Aryans residented mixed. Therefore after long time they had changed and appeared new beliefs among them. Mostly changes, new beliefs and language changes were been in the east direction. But in north direction there were not Avedic Aryans. Therefore Vedic Aryans languages and cultures were not changed too much. So, northern Aryans are the pure Aryans and pure Vedic tradition.

            It also changed in the Middle Indo Aryan period. But in Indo Aryan period we can see the three typed of language used in.

1.      Vedic language

2.      Brahmin language and

3.      Classical language.

1.      Vedic Language

            Until 1000 BC Brahmin priests used Vedic or “Chandas” language for hymns. That language was created by mixing with dialect name Udicya which was used in Panjab and near the Hindu river. They had preserved Vedic literature orally. Anaryans those who learnt Aryans languages, also added some Sukta to the Vedic literature. There are more than 10,000 Sloka in Rigveda with the reference of Rig, Sama, Yajur, Atharva Vedas and some of Vedasanhitas also included in Vedic literature. While we examine the Rig Veda it can see the differences in each chapters in a part named “Mandala”. It clears that there were several dialects for speak. And by difference of language it clears that Vedic literature was composed during long period. There are some differences that some parts of Vedic literature has archaic characteristic and some are Brahmin and classic characteristics. These differences are exist there because it was preserved orally during long period. There is no exact period when it was written down. But there is a view that Vedic literature was written down by Vyasa in 10^th century BC.

2.      Brahmin Language

            The period of Brahmin language is from 1000 BC to 600 BC. It was used in northern India for literary usage. It differs not only in language but also in idea and nature from the Vedic Sanskrit language. Brahmin Sanskrit language is similar to the Kuru Pancala language of western India. This language used to compose the Vedic literature called Brahmana. Brahmana literature was written to give meaning and explanation for the Rigveda. Neediness of explanation will clear how much differences were there between Vedic Sanskrit language and Brahmin Sanskrit language. Post period of this era goes to more develop in language.

3.      Classical Sanskrit Language

            After the period of Brahmin Sanskrit language, simple, well perfected language came to use for literary usage. That the language is called classical Sanskrit language well created by scholar Panini.

            There are two views for origin of classical Sanskrit language. As most scholars accepted idea, it was naturally changed due to time regularly as Vedic, Brahmin, Aranyaka and Upanishad. Sanskrit professors called Kit, Baro were also accepted this idea. For the more Mr. Kit has tried to prove this in his “Sanskrit historical literature” book. At the first this language was used only for religious work. But later on it changed with the time. Aryans tried to protect their language many times by using many ways. They protected it by establishing some rules and regulations in for usage of language. Development of protecting language came to very serious. Therefore they removed the words, sentences which they concerned as no needed and made new rules and regulations. The result of this kind of work was creation of classical Sanskrit language by scholar Panini in 4^th BC by composing his grammar book named Ashtadyayi. Classical snaskrit language was synthetic than Vedic Sanskrit. Vedic Sanskrit language was natural. Therefore it changes in time to time. But now in Classical Sanskrit language has rule and regulations to use it. Therefore it began to be systematic and also similar to the Pali language.

            It was the one view towards classical Sanskrit language. Another view towards classical Sanskrit language is, it was not derived by Vedic Sanskrit, but it was created by scholars like Panini, with the influence of Vedic Sanskrit language. It was the view of modern linguists as Hoernle, Grieson, Senart, Sunithi Kumar Chatergy, Sukumar etc. The cause to make this view was, popularization of pali language which was used to spread Buddhism and not curing of archaic Vedic and Brahmin languages. Therefore Panini and other grammarians created a Classic Sanskrit language to competition with pali language. Mr. Kit gives a fine answer for this idea, that there are not much synthetic characteristic to say that is totally synthetic Sanskrit language. Only the difference is there is expanded style in Vedic Sanskrit but Classical Sanskrit has brief style. Cause of this difference classical Sanskrit language seems similar to Pali language. If it is created to make competition with pali language there could not be dual objection in conjugation of Sanskrit, abundant of compound words, various types of tenses etc. And also it was no composed or created in one exact period. Therefore we cannot say that it was created by Panini only. It was changed during long period and Classical Sanskrit language is the result of the changes of Vedic Sanskrit language.

Differences between Vedic Sanskrit Language and Classical Sanskrit Language

No	Vedic Sanskrit language	Classic Sanskrit Language
1.	Voiceless bilabial fricative (/ɸ/, called upadhmānīya) and a voiceless velar fricative (/x/, called jihvāmūlīya)—which used to occur when the breath visarga(अः).	Both of them were lost in Classical Sanskrit to give way to the simple visarga.
	Voiceless bilabial fricative  - The voiceless bilabial fricative is a type of consonantal sound, used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents this sound is ⟨ɸ⟩.And it is "N" letter in Afkari script. (pronounce - faa affaa)	Voiceless velar fricative - The voiceless velar fricative is a type of consonantal sound used in some spoken languages. It was part of the consonant inventory of Old English and can still be found in some dialects of English, most notably in Scottish English loch. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents this sound is ⟨x⟩. (pronounce - khaa akkhaaa)
2.	Retroflex lateral approximant (/ɭ/) (ळ) as well as its aspirated counterpart /ɭʰ/ (ळ्ह),	lost in Classical Sanskrit, to be replaced with the corresponding plosives /ɖ/ (ड) and /ɖʱ/ (ढ). (Varies by region; Vedic pronunciations are still in common use in some regions, e.g. Southern India, including Maharashtra.)
	Retroflex lateral approximant - The retroflex lateral approximant is a type of consonantal sound used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents this sound is ⟨ɭ ⟩, and the equivalent X-SAMPA symbol is l`. (pronounce - llaah, allaah)
3.	The pronunciations of syllabic /ɻ̩/ (ऋ), /l̩/ (लृ) and their long counterparts no longer retained their pure pronunciations	But had started to be pronounced as short and long /ɻi/ (रि) and /li/ (ल्रि).
4.	The vowels e (ए) and o (ओ) were actually realized in Vedic Sanskrit as diphthongs /ai/ and /au/	They became pure monophthongs /eː/ and /oː/ in Classical Sanskrit.
	Diphthong - A diphthong literally "two sounds" or "two tones"), also known as a gliding vowel, refers to two adjacent vowel sounds occurring within the same syllable. Technically, a diphthong is a vowel with two different targets: That is, the tongue moves during the pronunciation of the vowel. In most dialects of English, the words eye, hay, boy,low, and cow contain diphthongs.	Monophthong - A monophthong is a pure vowel sound, one whose articulation at both beginning and end is relatively fixed, and which does not glide up or down towards a new position of articulation. The monophthongs can be contrasted with diphthongs, where the vowel quality changes within the same syllable, and hiatus, where two vowels are next to each other in different syllables.
5.	The vowels ai (ऐ) and au (औ) were actually realized in Vedic Sanskrit as hiatus /aːi/ (आइ) and /aːu/ (आउ)	They became diphthongs /ai/ (अइ) and /au/ (अउ) in Classical Sanskrit.
	Hiatus - In phonology, hiatus or diaeresis refers to two vowel sounds occurring in adjacent syllables, with no intervening consonant. When two adjacent vowel sounds occur in the same syllable, the result is instead described as a diphthong. The English words hiatus and diaeresis themselves contain a hiatus between the first and second syllables.
6.	Vedic Sanskrit often allowed two like vowels to come together without merger during Sandhi.
7.	There were more than 12 ways of forming infinitives in Vedic Sanskrit	Retained only one form
8.		Alphabet changes are converting “ra” - “la”. Sometimes crebral “La” - “ra”, “Da”-“ra”, “Dha”-“ra”.
9.	Words created by using suffixes were numerous. As example - With using the suffixes “yu”, made derivative noun as “devyu”, “vAjyu” with participle words as “yajyu”.	Later on they became less. But in Classical Sanskrit language there are not many words created in derivative noun. Only “manyu”, “dasyu”.
10.	Words conjunction was due to the desire of writer.	Conjunction is the necessary.
11.	“iy”, “uv”	Converted into “y”, “v”
12.	Not much compounded words. There were not more than maximum 3 words compounded words.	No limited to compound the words.
13.		Noun conjugation has been easier than VSL in CSL. Cases (vibhakti) and suffixes (pratya) were decreased in CSL in the case of conjugation.
14.	·        Stems ending with “a”, Ablative of agent, singular, suffixes were “A”, “ena” (devA, devena) ·        Nominative and Accusative, dual form were “A”, “au” (devA, devau) ·        Nominative, plural, suffixes were “As”, “Asas” (devA, devAs) ·        Ablative of agent, plural “ais”, “ebhis” (devaih, devebhih).	·        Stems ending with “a”, Ablative of agent, singular, suffixes use “e”, “ena” ·        Nominative and Accusative, dual form retain only “au”. ·        Lose suffixes “Asas”. ·        Lose suffixex “ebhis”.
15.	Genitive, plural, suffixes “Am”	change “AnAm”
16.		Stems ending “i” and “u” noun conjugation style decreased in numerously and added new styles.
17.	Two styles were there to conjugate stems ending “e”, feminine gender.	Only one style to conjugate it.
18.	Used suffixes “e” of Locative in personal pronouns conjugation.	Lose it.
19.		Some of noun stems become long. gopa>gopA
20.	Nouns ending with consonant ·        spsh ·        nakt ·        nabhs	Some of noun converted to ending with vowel. ·        spasha ·        nakta ·        nabhasa
21.	Future participle words used in dvitiya, pancami, sattami vibhakti.	Only in pancami.
22.	Past tense participle preposition suffixes were - tvi, tvA, tvAya, yA, tyA, tva, enya	tvi, tavAya, tva, enya were lose.
23.		Usage of pure verb decreased and increased the usage of participle verb.
24.	There was freedom to make sentences.	Too much rule and regulation to make a sentences.
25.	Prefix could use in any place of sentence.	Prefix can use only in the ahead of root.
26.	There was accent division. It could even change the meaning of the words. ·        udātta "raised" - acute accent ·        anudātta "not raised" - grave accent ·        svarita "sounded" - circumflex	Lose it.
27	Changed meanings of some words. ·        asura - god ·        ari - friend, should believe ·        rajas - space ·        phalgu - red colour	Changed meanings of some words. ·        asura - devil, god ·        ari - enemy ·        rajas - dust ·        phalgu - empty
28.		Added newly words. ·        Made words in necessity by adding suffixes in root and stems from old language. ·        Influenced by PrAkrit language by using kaTa, vikaTa, taTa, geha etc. words. ·        Influenced by Dravidian language by using mayura, kambala, khela, kAla, candra, akkA, ammA etc. words. ·        Influenced by Ostrich language by using lAMgula, tAmbula, liMga etc. words. ·        Some of words were also influenced by Europe, Greek, Arab, Chinese languages.
29	Natural language characteristic.	Synthetic language characteristic.

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